The present invention provides a fitting for attachment to a flexible bag as well as providing an assembly for transporting materials within a container. Also, the present invention provides a method for carrying a material within a container which provides for bottom-filling of the container thereby eliminating head space. In addition, the present invention provides a method for draining the material without interference from the bag holding the material within the container.
It is, of course, generally known to provide containers for shipping or transporting of materials, such as chemicals. Often, large volumes of chemicals are transported within such containers. The containers may often be constructed from steel which may be incompatible with the chemicals within the container. In such situations, it is known to use plastic bottles within steel containers for holding the chemicals.
Another alternative to prevent incompatibility is to line the steel containers with polyethylene in order to transport chemicals incompatible with the steel containers in which the materials are shipped. However, often such a lining is cracked and results in waste of the materials within the steel containers due to the cracked lining. Moreover, repair of the units may be extemely time-consuming and expensive. As a result, a shortage of lined units exists affecting inventory and delivery of chemicals or other materials to customers.
In addition, during filling of containers with chemicals, an air gap may be produced between the top of the product and the upper wall of the bag. As a result, specific products, such as latex polymer products, have problems with condensation in the air gap which may affect or may even destroy a product's quality. Furthermore, when a bag is used within a container and the product or chemical within the container is drained, often, the bag may be sucked into an outlet port of the container preventing drainage of the material from the bag.
A need, therefore, exists for an improved fitting and container attached to the fitting as well as a method for carrying a material including filling and draining the material from the container.